The Arts in Schools - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

art, craft, home economics, music and drama. This schoolhas attempted a more imaginative use of this time byrecognising that such a range of subjects can encompassonly certain areas of overlap. Accordingly, it has constructeda programme that allows for both specialistteaching in each of these areas and for some team-teachingwhere this arises naturally and realistically from sharedinterests.The faculty receives only six periods a week for all ofits work. Two periods a week are allocated for combinedwork and the remaining four periods are shared equallybetween the different groups of subjects for work ofspecialist concern. Teachers can opt in or out of combinedtime and in the past both music and domestic science havedone this, leaving teachers of art, needlework (textiles) anddesign (woodwork and metalwork) to pursue areas ofcommon interest.They begin by looking for areas of study that will berelevant to each area: past projects have included, 'Flight','Self-Identity' and 'Camouflage'. The teachers discuss howto link their work together through these themes. Theyhave established a pattern of team-teaching in groups oftwo or three. These are determined by subject specialisms,teaching experience and personal compatibility. Theseteams then work with 40/50 children at a time, developingthe themes in whatever ways they feel able.The pattern is the same for work with the second yearalthough combined time does not run throughout the year.It is thought necessary to allow progressively more timefor specialised work so that children will be able to makeconsidered options for their work within the faculty in thethird year.The crucial elements in the success of this programmeare:a a recognition that specialist interests need to becatered for alongside common programmes of workb some teachers are better left to pursue their ownconcerns rather than be forced into a marriage ofconvenience112 Space What of the provision of space and facilities for the arts? Sirand Alec Clegg, when Education Officer for the West Riding offacilities Yorkshire, once asked his inspectors and advisers how muchspace they would need for their subject in a new secondaryschool for 800 pupils. The school, had it been built, wouldhave covered 18 acres.Obviously there are limits to what is possible. At the same70